United Buddy Bears – The Minis at Osnabrück Zoo

It is not so uncommon that new bears arrive at a zoo, but it was definitely unprecedented that more than 100 bears embarked on a journey from Berlin to the zoo in Osnabrück.

To mark the occasion of the zoo’s 75th anniversary, the “Minis“ were presented next to the former monkey mountain until the end of September 2011.

It was not least due to the bear hybrids „Tips and Taps“ (polar/brown bear hybrids) that the zoo anniversary was very much a “bear festival”. The hybrids were born in 2004. Meanwhile it has been confirmed that this polar/brown bear mix also occurs in the wild. And it is particularly because of this phenomenon that these two Osnabrück bears are “ambassadors of climate change“.

“Tips and Taps“ met the United Buddy Bears - The Minis – a suitable encounter to celebrate the official jubilee.

Ceremonial Opening

Start photo gallery (21 pictures). Click on a picture.

The patron of the bear exhibition at Osnabrück Zoo is David McAllister, Premier of Lower Saxony, who officially launch the exhibition on 17th August 2011.

40,000 Euros for social projects

With the support of several companies and the five Rotary Clubs in the region, it was possible to raise around €40,000 social projects and to support the zoo in the context of the exhibition. Andreas Busemann (Managing Director, Zoogesellschaft Osnabrück e.V.) outlines the concept: “We identified many patrons for the bears. In addition to the zoo’s bear enclosure, UNICEF and regional social projects will benefit from the money generated through the patronages.“ In the Osnabrück region, “Kijuba – ich schaffe es“, an organisation providing psychological support for children whose parents suffer from cancer and “gecko e.V.“, the association that supports the Christian Children’s Hospital Osnabrück, will receive funding.